V Snow Shovel

ABSTRACT

A snow shovel device is provided that allows a user to remove snow from pathways. The shovel comprises a “V” shaped blade surface attached to a telescoping main shaft, which is fixedly attached to a push handle. The “V” shape of the blades provides a plow device to efficiently pierce deep snow in order to create a clear pathway. The main shaft may be pivoted in a plurality of directions to allow the user to adjust the yaw angle of the blade surface as well as the pivot angle of the main shaft with respect to the blades. Adjustment of the pivot angle and shaft length reduces strain on the user as snow is displaced.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/328,027 filed on Apr. 26, 2010, entitled “V Snow Shovel.”

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a snow shovel device for removing snow from pathways and in particular to a snow shovel device having a “V” shaped wedge for plowing and compacting snow.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Residents of cold weather climates often find their daily lives impeded by the accumulation of snow on the ground. If the snowfall is anticipated, individuals will often place rock salt down on pathways and driveways to melt falling snow and prevent it from accumulating. In the event that the snowfall is unexpected or the amount of accumulation is larger than anticipated, individuals may not be able to take adequate steps to prevent the snow from building-up. The accumulation of snow on sidewalks, driveways, and streets can result in slippery surfaces that make walking or driving hazardous. To reduce the risk of harm to automobile users, large plows are used to push snow from the roadways. Personal pathways and sidewalks are usually cleared by using a snow shovel.

Snow shovels traditionally comprise a long shaft with a handle at a top end and a wide metal or plastic blade at a bottom end. The user of the shovel pushes on the handle to insert the blade into the snow and then lifts the handle and shaft to extricate the snow on the blade. The weight of snow being lifted, or the speed with which it is extricated can be problematic for users, placing considerable strain on the user's arms and back. Serious injuries are possible if proper technique is not utilized with these traditional snow shovel devices. To reduce this risk, users may try to lift smaller amounts of snow with each pass; however this approach lengthens the time needed to clean a pathway. Physical exertion while in cold temperatures can lead to serious health risks for elderly users or those with cardiac and pulmonary weaknesses.

Other varieties of snow shovels require the user to employ a pushing motion to move snow rather than lifting it. These shovels comprise a handle connected to an end of a shaft that is perpendicularly affixed to a metal or plastic blade. Snow removal is accomplished by placing the blade in the snow, then pushing on the handle to force the snow away from the front of the blade. As the snow is pushed further along the pathway, it accumulates in front of the snow shovel device. The increasing amount of snow elevates resistance against the user's pushing motion. These shovels suffer the same drawbacks as the traditional shovel: too much resistance can lead to back and leg strain, as well as serious health risks for elderly users or those with cardiac and pulmonary conditions.

Larson, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/00728487 discloses a show shovel with retractable blades attached perpendicularly to the bottom of the shaft. The shovel is pushed into the snow while the blades are retracted, the blades are then extended and the shovel is pulled backwards to extricate snow.

Dawes, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0197349, discloses a shovel having a handle attached to a blade combination. The blade combination comprises a blade with a large primary shovel blade attached perpendicularly at its rear. The blade combination enables the shovel to be used in the traditional lifting manner or similar to a plow when the shovel is turned over.

Darling, U.S. Pat. No. 1,049,812, discloses a snow shovel with extendable blades having a generally v-shaped structure. The blades of the shovel are adjustably attached to varying plow capability in different types of snow.

Schbot, U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,072, discloses a snow shovel having large blades attached to a support rod of adjustable length.

The prior art devices do not address the need for a snow shovel that has a handle of adjustable angle and length. There is therefore a need in the art for a personal snow removal device that can be adjustably maneuvered to pierce through deep snow, creating a pathway of cleared snow along the ground without repetitious lifting by the user. In this regard the current invention substantially differs from the prior snow shovel devices and consequently fulfills the need for snow shovel having an adjustable handle to reduce potential for injury to the user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of snow shovels now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new handle positioning mechanism wherein the same can be utilized for providing convenience for the user when removing large amounts of snow from pathways. The snow shovel device has a “V” shaped blade surface for efficiently piercing through dense snow to create a pathway. The blades are substantially wide, and include grooves to funnel snow to the sides of the shovel as the device is pushed forward by a user. Two support bars internal to the blades provide support and resistance for the device while the shovel is in use, assisting with the removal of large amounts of snow along a pathway.

The support bars are also used to attach the handle shaft of the shovel to the blades by means of a revolute joint. The joint allows pivoting of the shaft about the support bars, along with a lockable pivot motion to create a yaw angle of the shovel blades with respect to the handle shaft. Varying the tilt angle of the shaft allows the user to adjust the angle of approach between the user and the snow shovel, raising or lowering the shove handle to reduce strain as the shovel is pushed forward. In addition to the vertical position of the handle, the blades of the shovel may be oriented at an angle from the user's forward motion. The length of the handle shaft may likewise be adjusted by loosening a securing means that secures a telescoping inner and outer portion. Risk of injury may be reduced if users adjust the length and angular position of the shaft according to his or her shoveling needs, while the head of the shovel may be adjusted to one side or another to plow snow at an angle.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved snow shovel that has all of the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved snow shovel to facilitate snow removal from a pathway without lifting, which could cause injury to a user.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved snow shovel that has a pivoting shaft allowing the user to adjust the angle of the shaft to more comfortably remove snow with less strain on a user's back.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved snow shovel that has an adjustable length shaft that may be lengthened or shortened to suit a user's needs.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an angularly adjustable snow shovel with a pivoting head to plow snow to one side or another.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved snow shovel that has a detachable shaft for convenience of storage after use.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved snow shovel that has a wide, V-shaped blade surface for clearing large accumulations of densely packed snow along a pathway.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

The above invention will be better understood and the objects set forth above as well as other objects not stated above will become more apparent after a study of the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes use of the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a lengthwise perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention wherein the handle of the snow shovel device is displayed in a default position.

FIG. 2 is an overhead view of the snow shovel device is pushing accumulated snow off a ground surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is made herein to the associated drawings. Reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the claimed snow shovel device. For the purposes of presenting a brief and clear description of the present invention, the preferred embodiment will be discussed as used for snow removal from pathways. This is for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 & 2, there is shown the preferred embodiment of the snow shovel device from a lengthwise perspective view and an overhead perspective view. The snow shovel comprises a handle 11 fixedly attached to an adjustably sized main shaft 12 that is further adjustably attached to a shovel blade assembly 13.

The handle of the snow shovel handle has two end portions 14 for a user to grip while the shovel is in use and a center portion attached perpendicularly to the main shaft 12. This shaft comprises an inner portion 15 that slides concentrically into an outer casing portion 16. A securing joint 17 is placed at the junction between the inner portion 15 and the outer casing 16. The joint 17 utilizes a securing screw that when tightened secures the inner portion 15 to the outer casing 16, fixing the length of the main shaft 12. Both the handle 11 and the main shaft 12 may be constructed of any durable material capable of load bearing, such as wood, metal, or plastic. It is not necessary that the elements of the handle 11 and main shaft 12 be constructed of the same materials.

The shovel blade assembly 13 comprises two shovel blades 18 conjoined at an angle measuring 60 to 90 degrees to form a “V” shape. Two grooves run along the outside face of each blade funnel snow 21 along the surface of the blades 18. To support the shovel blades 18 and provide a means for attaching the shovel main shaft 12 to the blade assembly 13, two support bars 19 are positioned along the inner portion of the blade assembly 13, extending between both shovel blades 18. The support bars 19 allow the shovel blades 18 to maintain their structure and function by providing reinforcement 21 when the shovel is plowed through deep, dense snow. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the shovel blades 18 are eighteen inches in length and sixteen inches in height. It is not contemplated that the snow shovel assembly be limited to the dimensions of the preferred embodiment; however the proportionality of elements should be preserved in order to maintain the “V” shape of the conjoined blades 18.

The main shaft 12 of the shovel is removably attached to the blade assembly 13 by a joint 20 positioned in the center of the lower support bar 19. The joint 20 allows the main shaft 12 of the shovel to be pivoted about the support bar 19 along a vertical plane to accommodate variations in height of a user. This flexibility in angle of the main shaft 12 and handle 11 reduces the risk of injury to a user's back because the shovel adjusts to the user's preferred angle of thrust. In addition to the angular movement along a vertical plane, the main shaft 12 can also pivot with respect to the orientation of the V-shaped blade assembly 13, creating a yaw angle that changes the angle of contact between the shovel blades 18 and the snow 21. The yaw position of the shovel blade assembly 13 may be temporarily secured by a pin joint that rotatably secures the main shaft 12 and the joint 20. Such securement prevents the shovel blade assembly 13 from pivoting while in use, without limiting the vertical adjustability of the main shaft 12. The main shaft 12 attaches to the lower support bar 19, as opposed to the upper support bar, in order to reduce the overturning moment created by the force of the user pushing the shovel, which tends to want to rotate the blade assembly 13 and tip it over if the force is introduced too high above the ground. Also, to promote ease of storage, the main shaft 12 and handle 11 may be detached from the shovel blade assembly 13 at the support joint 20.

In an alternate embodiment of the shovel device, the pin joint is removed and the yaw angle adjustment is eliminated in favor of a unitary outer casing 16. This creates a simpler design that has a fixed orientation blade assembly 13 with respect to the main shaft 12.

In use an individual places the blades 18 of the shovel on the ground 22 and grips the handle 14 of the device. The user rotates the main shaft 12 up or down to position it comfortably with respect to the user's body. The snow shovel can then be pushed by the user across the ground 22 to plow a pathway through the snow 21. If a user desires a different blade angle with respect to the main shaft 12, the user can pivot the main shaft 12 right or left and secure the main shaft 12 in position using the pin joint at its base. After use the shovel may be disassembled into separate blade assembly 13 portions and main shaft portions 12 by removing the main shaft 12 from the support joint 20. Disassembly of the device allows improved storage and compaction for a user.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention. 

1) A handheld device plow device for clearing a pathway through snow, comprising: telescoping main shaft with a first and second end, and a handle fixed to said first end; said telescoping main shaft comprises an inner shaft portion and an outer shaft casing, secured together via a securing means; a shovel blade assembly; said shovel blade assembly comprising two blades forming a “V” shape with an upper and lower support bar interiorly positioned between said “V” shaped blades; said main shaft second end being removably attached to said shovel blade assembly by a joint positioned on a support bar. 2) The device of claim 1, wherein said handle comprises two perpendicular shafts extending from said main shaft, creating a “T-bar” shaped handle. 3) The device of claim 1, wherein said main shaft securing means is a screw that maintains said inner shaft portion and outer shaft casing position. 4) The device of claim 1, wherein said securing means is a pin that maintains said inner shaft portion and outer shaft casing position. 5) The device of claim 1, wherein said joint is a revolute joint that allows said main shaft assembly to pivot about an attached support bar in a vertical plane. 6) The device of claim 1, wherein said main shaft pivotably attaches to said shovel blade assembly via a pin joint, allowing said blade assembly to operate at an angle with respect to said main shaft. 7) A device of claim 1, wherein said “V” shape blades create an interior acute angle. 8) A device of claim 7, wherein said acute angle is between 60 and 90 degrees. 